Made the Cut

Jon stumbled on Tuesday but made the cut, unlike 98 other golfers there who didn't. I got to take the day off of work to go and watch again.
The same pervert was at the gate. He told me my blue Dockers looked too much like denim. I got out of the car and showed him the label on my ass. You idiot! On their third hole a girl comes to watch in a tank top with a short jean skirt on. WTF!!!



Jon started on 10 again. Good omen - just like on Monday.
The weather was perfect and I was looking forward to some good golf. Jon's second shot on #10 (par 5) hit the top of the bunker in front of the green and fell in, not a good sign. I firmly believe that you play to the potential of the people you are playing against or with. Jon got paired with a dufus. At one point this idiot carried ALL of his irons across the green - ALL OF THEM??? He was the only one in the group riding, good thing too, cause this man was SLOW!
Jon mentioned to the official at the turn that this guy took way to long and was afraid that they were getting behind.

Jon did have this great shot though. He went from here to here!

After it was all over Jon scored an 80. He took me to lunch and confessed that that was his worst 2 rounds all summer. I know he has been working out and practicing really hard for tournaments. I was glad to see him make the cut and make some money. The difference in the payout drops off dramatically after the top 15 so if Jon had buckled down till his head hurt he would of only made $60 more, instead he chose to relax and enjoy the ride. I loved his Tin Cup moment on #9.

Walking the course

Sharen is up in MN somewhere sitting in a boat with a fishing pole in her hand, in a lawn chair with a book in her hand, or in the lodge with a beer in her hand. The one place she isn't, is here walking with me. So I decide to walk with Jon today. He was playing Medinah in a Illinois PGA tour. His t-time was 1:20 so I worked a 1/2 day and headed out to the course.
The guy at the gate takes one look at my sun top and tells me to pull over. You can't wear that here we have a dress code. Oops! Lucky for me I had a collared shirt, but the idiot wouldn't let me in. He said it had to have a collar and sleeves and he hands me a piece of paper with the rules. It said collared shirt OR sleeves. He made me change in the gate house. Creepy...
I hurry up and call Carrie who was coming at the turn and told her about the dress code. No Problem, she got right in with a NO collar shirt. Huh! Me thinks the guys a perv and into older women.

Anyway Jon started out on 10 - dogleg right. He could of had a birdie,(very do-able) but hit a tree and settled for a par. He bogeys the next hole but comes back strong with a long putt for birdie on the next hole. Bogeys 15 & 17 for a 37.
After Carrie showed up he settled down and birdies the 1st hole - bogies #2 had 2 birdies in a row and then 2 bogies. NO Blowup holes. Just consistent golf. He shot a 73. Par is 71. Course #1, the one that he was playing, had only 3 par 5's and a shit load of long par 4.

I forgot how much fun it is to watch him in action. I never missed one of his high school meets and I will not miss this Wednesday. I already told them at work that if he makes the cut (top 60) I won't be in and if he keeps up his game from today on Tuesday he will. He was tied for 7th when we left with only 15 golfers to go. The camera will be with me on Wednsaday though (screw the rules) so I will have some pictures to post when he wins this thing. I might carry some ear plugs too. The airplanes pass over every 30 seconds really loud. I can't believe they are not distacting to the golfers.

Power Tools

Hey - If you want anything done around the house just buy a power tool.
Mike and I went out and bought a power washer. I now have a clean (and stained) deck, clean screens in the windows, clean deck furniture, only thing is the sides of the hot tub look like graffiti - Mike had the power washer on toooo hard. He must think he was Tim Allen - More Power!!!
I just need to get some redwood stain and the hot tub is done. Woo Hoo!!

Hair

I have a LOT of hair. I seem to leave it everywhere too. Most people have dust bunnies under their beds - we have hair balls. All of it mine. I clog the drains (I used to blame this on Bryan - him losing his hair and all), but it's still happening. So I resigned to the fact it has to be me.
I brought some books into work for the book exchange and one of my co-workers asked if it was mine cause it had a hair in it. The reputation is spreading.
In my defense I DO pull it back whenever I am cooking or in the kitchen. But seriously who would think they have to pull their hair back to make coffee. Come on!
So it's Friday and I'm working again. A hair showed up IN the coffee. I blamed a co-worker that has longer hair, but I think they knew it was mine. Serves them right for having me work 2 Friday's in a row.

Blue & Yellow

Looks like those will be the colors of the babies room in the new Zierk house. Carrie and Dave will be having a son in January.

Carrie had a 3D ultra sound yesterday to make sure that the baby was all there and everything working in proper order. Things are perfect and all is well!!!

Carrie and Sharen are getting just what they wished for "a very healthy baby".

Bike Rides

We had the grandkids over Saturday night, with their parents, for Grandma's maaas-ta-cholly. Logan had three helpings and proclaimed this my best ever. He says that each time, but I must of thought so too cause I ate too much. Oh and thanks to Mary for the delicious wine. YUM!!!
After walking around the SouthElgin Riverfest craft show Sunday morning my foot was hurting. I realized by Sunday afternoon that some more exercise was needed so I suggest to Mike we take a bike ride.

Mike has been riding his bike to work 3 or 4 times a week and he's keeping his weight off. Me - I've been trying to get rid of some weight, so I thought maybe I can bike some fat off too.
Grab some air for the tires and off we go. The trail around the neighboring subdivision was paved and relatively flat. So when Mike suggested we cross over McDonald road and ride to Silver Glen Rd - what the heck that's doesn't seem to far (of course that's in a CAR). We stop to take a drink and my butt is saying what did you just do to me? I am NOT getting back on that bike. I get back on my bike, but the old rear end is telling me it was a big mistake to go so far. I promised it an ice pack when we get home and it seemed happy with that. The scenery took away some of the sting - going around the ponds and along the creek.

Today I'm headed to Super Target hoping they have a seat size "fat ass" in the bike department so I can get back on the trails.

Call the Police

I am work today! It's Friday and I'm working. I'm doing this so Carmen can get a head start on her vacaion. It's not too bad once in awhile.

My boss keeps hovering around my desk wanting to chit chat. Shut the F*ck up and get outa my face. I have to get my morning paper fix in here at work so I buried my head in the Courier with my ipod on. He is finally getting the hint!

Anyway Dear Abbey has a letter from a person who wants to know who to call if someone dies at home. You call the police! It made me laugh and remember Dave telling us about one of his first assignments on the force. Guarding a dead body all night till the coroner could pick it up...

Summer of 79

I was looking for some old pictures and came across my old softball scrapbook. Brought back some old good times!!!

29 years ago this week. This Happened.

I made headlines in both papers. The Courier and the FreePress.
You have to click on the article and read all about how dominating I really was. Scary!
There are also some familar names later in the article.




I'll never forget how that night started - Wright Avenue fields, diamond 3. Lester didn't want to pitch me cause it was an easy team and he wanted to start the second stringer. I talked him into it, because Bryan was there(he was 2and Grandma watched him).
After the game we headed to our regular bar "Sports Pub" and I can honestly say I do not remember how the night ended. I know I was drinking from a pitcher. (being the winning pitcher and all) and I remember the other team and even the umpire buying me beer. Buy the pitcher of course. Sharen and I did our routine to "Put me in coach" up on stage. I know this because there is a picture out there somewhere. We went on that year to win it all. 16-0.

New Cars

I snagged some sweet (suite) tickets to the drag races today in Joliet. I had no desire to go, but Mike thought it would be fun so he headed out with his friend Dave and his son Brian about 9:00am. I had already given tickets to Kory and his friend who got up at the butt crack of dawn to get there when the gates open at 8:00 am.
These were tickets with parking passes from the office so I knew they would have a good time. Free Food and Drinks!!

I headed off to the fabric store with Sharen - She's working on a quilt for a wedding present and needed some help. You just can't find good flannel right now so I talked her into corduroy.

On the way home I was telling her about my car. If there is one thing I HATE (like most women) it's car trouble. My SRX is making a noise again so I'm thinking about getting rid of it. Sharen is driving a new Pathfinder. She asked me if I wanted something brand new? I don't know what I want.

We got to talking about the first cars we ever bought brand new (the first car I ever owned was a 69' MG Midget). Hers was a 73' Chevy Nova and mine was a 73' Dodge Dart "Sport"

Just like this one only mine was copper and had a sunroof. I loved that car!

Things I'll miss this weekend

That I had last weekend.
=Jack in the box tacos - We had these back in my high school days here and I loved them then and I still could eat these everyday. 2 for 99 cents. I am a cheap date.
=Double Bed all to myself with 4 fluffy pillows. Heaven!!
=Someone else deciding where to eat for dinner.
=A pool where the smell of chlorine takes me back to the days when Bryan was growing up and the pool we had in the backyard.
=No deadlines (except for game times)
=Gas for $3.61
=Jack in the box tacos Yeah - I really, really love these greasy, plastic cheese, cooked lettuce, hearburn waiting to happen tacos.

Softball! Softball! Softball!

We started out on Thursday night in Chicago to have a birthday dinner with Bryan and Mary. We ate at 'The Purple Otter' - I had a present for Fubar. (I know I'm supposed to buy Bryan the presents).
We stayed and watched Byran and Mary play in their 16" softball game.


The team was nice enough to pose for this picture.


Next stop St. Louis.... No We did not go up in the arch. There isn't enough tranquilizer in the whole state to get me up there.


Got down there in record time Friday morning - Mike's 1st game wasn't until 2:30. They wouldn't let us check in so we headed over to the fields.
First thing I notice was the ambulances. They had this neat bus for casualties but I heard that 10 guys had to be transported on Friday alone. It was REALLY hot.



A few things I learned watching Men's Senior Softball in the heat and sun.

: Sunscreen must be applied 18 times in an hour - It comes off with sweat.
: Sunscreen must be applied under the chin and nose when sitting on aluminium bleachers.
: Sunscreen must be applied to bottoms of feet and parts in hair.
: Aluminium bleacher can cook your ass and your drink. Bring towel for both.
: Umbrellas do help with the shade, but look dorky. No - I did not need one.
: It takes less than 1/2 hour for completely wet towel to dry in 105 heat.
: The wives and girlfiends that show up love softball too.
: Men softball players are super friendly and offer to buy complete strangers drinks.
The large drinks were $1.50 with 50 cents refills, the draft beer was 6 bucks for a pitcher, served in really cool heavy white plastic holders, but it was way too hot to drink alcohol. :(
: Men softball players do not complain about heat or sun.
: There are a lot of good Senior men playing softball - Thank God for the 5 run rule.
: Landings are louder than takeoffs. (The complex was near the airport).



I forgot how much fun it is to watch Mike play softball. He played first base.
After a slow start on Friday they came back on Saturday and won their division -Sunday was rained out, but I'm pretty sure they would of won those games too. These are a good bunch of guys that like to hang out together (at the pool and at dinner) They came home with watches ,golf shirts, and hats, AND a berth in the TOC (Tournament of Champions) in Orlando in January.
Next stop is the World Tourney in Phoenix in October and we are going down early to visit with Mike's sister in Mesa and dear friends in Tuscon. Can't wait.